I truly hope this doesn’t feel like the wrong day to post a letter from Camille to Lucile in happier times. It was written just after the famous one about being in the revolution up to his neck. It’s late July 1792 and it seemed to me a good day to remember how close they were,how frequently he must have written to her and how she would have enjoyed and understood his need to share his successes, unlike those who criticise him for it. I sometimes wonder if he wrote to her when he was in hiding after the Champs de Mars massacre. They would be good letters to see.I thought I’d type the French text, although with some lacunae, in the hope that it makes it easier to decipher the handwriting which hasn’t been well served by the poor reproduction.« Ma chère Lucile, mon amie, ma vie, ne soit pas inquiète. J’ai été entraîné ce matin, à Chouille, par Panis, avec Danton et Freron chez Santerre. Hier j’ai lu mon discours à la commune, ou il a eu le plus grand succès. Applaudissements frénétiques des pieds et des mains. Quand je suis descendu de l’hôtel de ville, j’ai trouvé en bas une multitude de mes frères, les sans-culottes, qui m’attendaient, qui m’ont crié : Brave Camille ! me pressant les mains. Tous voulaient m’embrasser. La jalousie de Petion a éclaté ; il s’est opposé à l’impression. Je lui ai répondu vertement. J’ai vu ce matin les Brestois arrivant avec des canons, criant : à bas la veto ! Demain, grand diner à la Bastille de tous les fédérés et sans-culottes. Demain j’irai te rejoindre, chère amie ; je t’embrasse mille fois, tout va bien »

Comments

This is wonderful. <3. The sense of hopefulness, of success and validation, and--above all--his love for her is so pervasive, I think. (Also, I squee every time I see his handwriting. Where did you find that reproduction?)

Oh I know what you mean about his handwriting - his name leaps out at you doesn't it? - they must have both felt such a sense of anticipation it's heartbreaking ito think about, I love them applauding him with hands and feet - wild!The letter is at the back of Charlotte's memoirs - the one I bought in Paris.

Thank you so much for posting this and for the transcript. I'm tearing up just looking at it. I don't think it's the wrong time to post it at all. We should be remembering their lives, not only their deaths. <3